Mental Health Awareness Week

With Mental Health Awareness Week underway for 2024, we would like to highlight this year’s theme, Moving more for our mental health. This theme aims to remind us of the importance that comes with exercise and the numerous benefits that it provides for both our mind and body.

We understand how busy our lives can become and therefore look at a few creative ways that you can find time for exercise – it all counts!

1. Going for a walk – This can be during your lunch break, walking the dog before/after work and any other time you find a quick 10/20 minutes to have leisurely stroll.

2. Dancing – Most of us love to listen to music, so don’t be scared to dance along, its natural!

3. Home workouts – With the rise of remote working, it is even more common for us to stay indoors all day, but why should this stop us from exercising? Simple exercises like squats, push ups, sit ups, star jumps and so much more can be done without leaving the comfort of your home.

4. Join some fun after work exercise classes – Not everybody enjoys standard exercise, so why not try something different, from spin to swim and pilates to yoga, there is something for everyone.

5. Playing sports – There are countless opportunities to get involved with your favourite sports, like taking a friend to play some tennis or joining your local boxing gym.

6. Take the stairs – It is not always the big decisions and time-consuming activities that make a difference, small changes such as taking the stairs or possibly taking the longer routes to get from one place to the next can increase your steps and therefore the amount of exercise your body is getting per day.

7. Cycle or walk to/from work – Although it is not possible for everyone, changing how you get to and from work, even just once a week can help the amount of exercise you are doing every week.

8. Park further away – If you must drive to work every day, then we have an alternative. Do not pick the most convenient and closest spot, pick a spot further away so that you have to walk to and from the car.